Part of a continuing series examining the Power 5 and top Group of 5 teams for the 2018 college football season. Other entries by conference: ACC | Big 12 | Big Ten | Pac-12 | SEC | G5/Independents

Nearly 18 months after he took over a California program in need of fresh energy, Justin Wilcox would like to think he and his staff have taken steps toward that goal. But he admittedly won’t know how much progress he’s made until the fall, when the Bears are in the thick of the Pac-12 schedule — and when they’re confronted with the kind of challenges that separate losing teams from bowl-eligible teams.

Wilcox, an Oregon alumnus, took over the job from Texas native Sonny Dykes (now at SMU), who never seemed to fit into Cal’s overarching culture and struggled to engage the fan base. Wilcox saw flashes of the newfound enthusiasm he sought during this year’s spring practice, particularly from an active and vocal defense that dominated the majority of...